new school year.. for both of us!

Summer does what it always does and just ended when I was really starting to get the hang of it.  I mean I was really loving it. Not every minute, but man was I getting used to it. Then August came around. Did I just blink? I swear it was May 5 seconds ago. I got so used to our little summer routine the first Tuesday back I seriously got all teary eyed thinking of how we were missing story time. During the summer I saw another teacher I work with at story time weekly and when we returned to work I told her how much I was missing all of that fun kid stuff and she looked at me as if I were unstable and told me I could come to her room and she would read to me if it was that big of a problem. I decided it was time to put my big girl panties on and accept the school year had started. 

So anyway. I went back to school and like always my room was insane. No air, construction madness and so so so so so much dust. I had to go back to work a week before Austin started preschool so thankfully my MIL was able to watch Austin. I also had some amazing help that came to my room and cleaned gross construction dust, took down temporary walls that the construction crew just left for me (hey, thanks!) and all kinds of other nastiness. It takes a village. Thank God they came because I spent every possible moment working on my room I would have never finished without them. Even with all their help I was so behind on preparing music and all the actual.. you know TEACHING stuff I should have been preparing for! 

Loved this welcome back present! 

This was just one of my surprise gems and this picture doesn't show the real deal. There was wood up to the ceiling and huge platforms we had to take apart to get out because they wedged them behind my piano.Every time I removed a piece of plastic gallons of dust "snowed" and made this allergy ridden nerd a disaster. They also broke one of the legs off of this piano and apparently threw it away. 

I never start the year without thinking so much of my Mom. I can picture her on the floor sorting through the hundreds of pieces of music that had been collecting for years. 

I can't get over how differently my room looks now. We worked FOREVER on this music. I swear this wasn't even a percent of it!

Anyway school started for me AND Austin. We have been pretty nervous/excited about this new stage. We were so happy with our arrangement last year but I thought he was needing some social interaction with other kids his age. I toured many "schools" (they get really upset if you call it a daycare fyi) and this one I felt really good about. I didn't realize how lucky I had been being able to set his schedule and keep him in our little bubble for so long. 

I got his shirt made by our sweet friend Libby a few weeks ago and couldn't wait for him to wear it on the first day of school. You would have thought this kid was going to boot camp with all the preparations that went into his "school". 

This was literally one of the hardest days of being a Mom so far. I love my job but as I left my house at 5:45 before anyone else is up knowing I would not see my buddy before such a big day I hated everything about teaching. I felt so sorry for myself that I was teaching other people's kids while missing out on my own child's big milestones. Then I got to work and literally. nothing. worked. My lights did not work (oh, they still don't. we've been having rehearsals using our cellphones as flashlights) the air was not on, my projector motor quit, the printers were not working. After over an hour of being at work I had not accomplished one single thing. I was LIVID. Finally some students walked in and I realized I'd better stop screaming profanity at all things technology and go with it. 

I turned it on, taught my little heart out while in the dark but vowed to change some stuff. I heard another arts teacher say one time you hopefully teach students for 4 years but you're a parent for the rest of your life and I need to start living it. 

Anyway, Austin did well for his first day. He surprisingly did not cry and Philip was able to slip out without him noticing. He also did not eat well and threw most of his food on the floor. He refused to sit in the chairs and was determined to play with toys instead. I've heard preacher's kids are always the worst but I guess teacher's kids maybe come in a close second :) 

The school sends picture updates and emails daily and these are the pictures we got on the first day. 

He doesn't look exceptionally happy but not crying so I guess I'll take it! I usually try to not let him have his pacifier all day and only give it to him during naps or in the car but his teachers said he was determined to keep it and his lovely with him at all times. I feel okay with it for now because I know it's giving him some sense of security. 

After I picked him up I did what any guilty feeling mother does. Gives her child dessert before dinner. 

(I fed him because I didn't want to get his cute shirt dirty, which we did anyway) 

I decided he needed a first day treat so we went to Sweet Ce Ce's. I know he wasn't perfect but I didn't get a call asking to come pick him up so I'm going to call that a success. 

Afterwards he rewarded me with throwing all of his food on the floor because he wasn't hungry because someone fed him Sweet CeCe's before dinner. Who does that? He hasn't napped well at school and by dinner time we are pretty close to epic meltdown mania so I just do whatever to get him through.

The second day was much harder for Philip because now Austin gets it and clung to his leg while he was leaving. His teachers said he was eating a little better and sat at the table some. Baby steps. 

Adjustments are always hard on all of us. I recently started thinking about how much preschool was challenging for us. I can't imagine anything else. Kindergarten? College? How do parents survive? By that point I'll either be clawing at the classroom attempting to get in to "help" or curled in a fetal position crying so hard that I get alien eye (you know, that extra layer or swollen skin after you've cried really hard) but most likely both.  For now I'm happy living in my little world of denial where Austin is forever my baby who enjoys being tickled, playing chase, reading, and is genuinely excited to see us when we get home. 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

Senior Tea

At my first year at Brentwood, my Mom and I planned a senior girls tea. We had such a fun time planning it together and Ms. Alicia helped with her perfect touches. We had a pinterest board, cooked a lot, and really enjoyed working together Friday night at Saturday morning. I have to be honest, every year I do a little less. The first year I feel like we cooked quite a bit, the second year I bought a lot of it but from a lot of different places, this year I bought everything from Costco. 

Of course you will never have a date where every senior girl can attend. This year 16 ladies attended and it was a very fun group! 

Mom's china

I'm just now realizing I forgot to put doilies on the plates :) whoops. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and the girls really seemed to enjoy it. I'm not posting a picture of the students but know they are very pretty, nice and smart! We had a lot of fun and I love getting to use Mom's china. Last year this event was really fun but sad for me because I just kept thinking of how much fun Mom and I had putting it on together but this year I was able to think a little bit more about the fun and a little less about the sadness. Baby steps. 

This was also the last event we will have at our old house. We close in a week and a half and will have to focus on making memories in our new house. 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

things that make you feel old

Maybe it's just a rite of passage after becoming a Mom, or maybe it's that I'm surrounded by teenagers constantly but lately I've started to feel incredibly old. Why you ask? Let me break it down in no particular order. 

1. Jenna text me Sunday night with all the rage about Miley's scandalous performance at the VMA's. What? I didn't even know MTV was still a channel and most importantly I had no idea what that channel was.

2. My students say words daily that I don't get. Finally one day I said, "okay, what does all this mean?" and they had a field day telling me everything. One of my hilarious students even created a list that I could study.

3. Again, a situation dealing with one of my lovelies. I was talking about "Die Fledermaus" in my music history class and chamber maids came up. I told them what they were and then being the awesome teacher I am attempted to "make a connection to their life". I asked the class, "who watches Downton Abbey?" I got blank stares from all of them and finally a boy yells out, "I think my grandparents watch that". Awesome kid, let me know when me and granny can hang.

4.  The last few mornings I've been having this dream when my alarm clock goes off. Someone tells me I have to go back to sleep or Austin will wake up so I obviously do. I've hit snooze twice before I realize this is a dream and when I finally get up it is still well before 5 AM.

5. Friday night I legitimately fantasized about going to bed at 9.

AGH... what do I do? I get that I've had a kid now and I'm supposed to adopt Mom jeans and a minivan but I feel like this is all happening way too fast. I'm not 100. Someone send help before I end up at bingo and 4PM dinner.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Rough Momma week

Google search anything about being a busy or working Mom and you'll find a vast array of women looking very frazzled and insane. 

For the record, I think every Mother is a "working" Mom, the location just changes :) 

I realized early on I couldn't be a stay at home Mom. I really enjoy working out of the home and love my job. However, I've gotten very, very used to being home with Austin. At the beginning of the summer I kind of went nuts. He was teething so a tad bit more difficult but I was in a weird, desperate, awful mood for a week. I remember feeling so alone and depressed with how little I was getting "done". But then we got into a groove. I can predict when he gets up, go out very easily, lunch with the best of ladies, walk almost daily and enjoy my boy. I look forward to him getting up from his nap and seeing his huge "wake up" smile, snuggling, singing, reading, making crazy noises, everything.. well almost everything is really fun. 

This week I have been at the Tennessee Arts Academy at Belmont University. It reminds me of being in college, we are in class from 8-5 and I'm in a chorale, theory classes, choral methods, relaxation techniques, etc. I've learned a lot and glad I went, however... I have to be there at 8 which means I leave our house 7:15. Austin wakes up around 6:40 so I barely see him. Leaving at 5 puts me in the worst traffic.  I've been lucky to pick him up at 5:45. Just in time to feed him, bathe him and put him to bed at 6:30. Each day I've seen him for an hour, sometimes less and it has been total hell. I feel like I'm missing everything and am starting to take anything and everything the wrong way. I feel like I'm being replaced and have cried almost every day. 

Logically, I know it's only a week and I'll have 2 weeks of summer left before I go back but it is just hard to believe I'll not get to be with my love all day. I realize I actually want to work but I think this is part of that balance or lack there of that everyone is talking about. Whatever decision you make for your family, it is always difficult and I do not believe anyone feels 100% satisfied, complete, certain any of the time. You always hear about how fast things go but that doesn't make sense until you realize how fast things go. Like how is this child almost 6 months old? I feel like we just had him. Everything is going by like a blur and I'm starting to realize just how special and precious every day truly is. 

A lot of times I fantasize about having one of those careers with " a flexible schedule" that you can make your own hours. Recently, Austin had his 6 month photos done (3 weeks early I might add!) and I have to say I was secretly a little jealous of the photographer. She and her husband both have successful careers where they can somewhat make their own hours and enjoy the fruit of their hard outside the house labor while still getting to go to the pool during the day. The fact of the matter is that P nor I have are in those types of careers. That's okay, it's just how it is. I'm lucky to have an awesome job that I love and I'll leave it at that. 

I don't have an answer for all of this but I think this is the "balance" everyone is always talking about. Now I realize how unattainable it is I want to punch the guy in the face who started this craze. I don't ever believe everything will ever be in a perfect balance. Something will always be neglected. The degree of that neglect can vary but it will never be perfect (in this house anyway) and I'm not ready to say that's okay but for now that's reality. 

I'll probably always feel a twinge of guilt about damn near everything and maybe that's just a part of being a Mom. I don't know, I'm still claiming rookie status on this one.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

first day back

Today was my first day back to work and besides being super exhausted, I thought it went really well. Austin woke up a little more than normal which I was weirdly kind of happy about because I got to see him before I left for work. I arrived on one of those ridiculous days of a pointless standardized tests that totally jerks up the schedule and makes the rest of the day totally worthless. Anyway, kind of a nice back to ease back into it. I actually had an unexpected case of mommy wars at lunch in the teacher's lounge.. with a man. Who knew? I'm now supposed to compete with Dads? I was all good being this non-threatened Mom who would not engage with the Mommy wars and then I get sidetracked by a Dad? What? 

I was eating lunch with teacher friends and that were all asking about Austin. I told them we were all doing really well. They asked how the birth was and how bringing him home was etc. I decided a while ago, I was going to be honest with folks. I HATE it when people say things like "oh they never cry"...umm I'm calling big time BS.  Anyway, I said the first 5 weeks were so difficult...and I feel like such a haze because we slept so little. So this led to more questions and finally I just said, I think we were doing a lot wrong, we were rocking him to sleep, where the devil Dad responds with, "why did you think that would help? Would you like that?" I'm like ummm.. I didn't know what day it was, just trying my best but let that go. Then I said, "and we let him sleep in our room for a while which really did not work well for us" which douche daddy responds with "we NEVER let our kids do that, they didn't spend one night with us, we knew what we were doing". Okay, wtf? Seriously? Again, I just let it go. Finally they asked the inevitable question that I received 30 times today... Is he sleeping through the night? I said, he was but he kind of reverted back this week and I was hoping to get him back to sleeping better. I said, " he keeps getting out of his miracle blanket, because he is a little too big for it now". Another teacher asked what a miracle blanket was and he says, "it's a swaddle but he's getting out of it because she's doing it wrong, my kids never came out ours". SERIOUSLY? Who is this guy? We've never even had a hint of an issue and he's giving me all this attitude.I was so shocked I didn't say anything. Then he went on some tangent about how kids should sleep on their side and I said they were supposed to be on their back and he talks on and on about having a sleep wedge...I thought this is my chance I'll totally pounce on him. Anyone with google and a new baby knows you're not supposed to do that anymore, SO 2007... but the non-Mommy war side of me just couldn't. If I'm not going to engage in Mommy wars with a woman I'm certainly not going to with a Dad. I will though compile all of this information together and somehow hope for a perfect opportunity to use it against him, that's not wrong, right?

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

Mrs. Alicia

No one, I mean no one will replace you loved one. Everywhere and all day you will be reminded of your loss and your heart will be tugged over the most random situations. No one will ever be able to replace or become your “mom” or whomever you lost, however…sometimes a person is sent who becomes a close second.

My Mom would always do the most thoughtful and quiet things for her loved ones. Even though I’m approaching 30, she would always buy me a small “going back to school” present, like a plant for my room, a flameless candle, etc. She would also spend countless hours helping me “prepare”. After getting my first “big girl” job, she drove down to Oxford and spent the night. We went to Walmart and bought all the cleaning supplies we thought we would need and she brought amazing music posters, a glue gun and sticks, and everything she could envision needing. As we arrived and the vice principal walked us down to my new room (which didn’t have air conditioning… in July… in Mississippi) we were shocked when we looked around. The previous teacher had not cleaned… anything! Every single paper, binder, post-it, etc. was all still there. The vice principal left and as I wanted to cry because of the mess, Mom cried and said, “oh I’m so proud of you” and gave me a huge hug. Immediately, I made myself “buck up” and we just looked… what to do first? Go to Chilli’s. It was lunch time anyway and we needed a plan..and another trip to Wal-Mart.

We went to Chili’s in Batesville with a notepad and made a list of what more things we needed (approximately 50 trash bags…not exaggerating), enough cleaning supplies to disinfect a fraternity house, and even more sticky stuff to cover the gross pee colored walls. We began cleaning and throwing away mountains of old stuff. I thought we would literally never get done. As soon as one project, like cleaning out 50 folders that all contained the entire previous year’s work (plus an amazing number of middle school notes, and a list of current couples…record keeping is extremely important in middle school) we would feel some sense of accomplishment and then BAM! another mountain of work. Finally we got to a point (after 10 hours) of total heat exhaustion and dust overload that we were done (the principal kept “checking” aka hinting we should leave over the intercom, “Ladies we are all heading out for the day..You’ll have time to work on your room when school starts” “NOT WITH MY MOMMA” I thought! So we stayed with the custodians.) The room looked AMAZING and we had both lost around 10lbs of water weight because of how flipping hot it was. I was so proud of it and I only had to finish my wall of Mississippi Musicians.

Later that night we went to a Mexican restaurant and both had a well deserved margarita and made it an early night. My Mom always and I mean always could make a game plan. There was no problem too big for her to divide and conquer. Even in hospice care on the last couple of days she was attempting to make charts of the nursing rotation so she could feel more in control of who was providing care.

Since then I’ve missed the little things the most. When July rolled around, I dreaded going to my classroom for many reasons. One the air was broken. (how does this always happen?... I think they turn off the air to save money but good Lord, someone has to realize rooms aren’t put together in the literal day before school begins…these are the same people who determined that teachers quit getting paid 10 minutes after the last bell of the day. Clearly we always leave then..I hope you’re picking up on the sarcasm. One day last week, I left at 3:30 and I thought omg I’m leaving so early and then realized I still worked 1.5 hours for free and that was the lightest day in FOREVER… but I digress) Two, I was still in the hiding pregnancy phase which was accompanied by severe exhaustion and nausea, but most importantly, it was hard knowing that my Mom wouldn’t be with me. The year before she once again she spent countless hours organizing years of choral music, t-shirts from literally 10 years and older (one box contained a dead mouse head), and hundreds of trophies to clean. Since I wasn’t a new teacher to this school, I knew there wasn’t as much to do, but just knowing she wouldn’t be there with me was so difficult.

Sometimes, people will offer to help, but at times I feel if it can’t be my Mom, I would rather just do it alone. Shopping, pedicures, even cleaning my classroom all have so many memories with my Mom. Sometimes I can make myself do these things with other but often, I just feel like I should do things by myself to avoid being sad.

That is until Mrs. Alicia enters the picture. She was my Mom’s best friend and although they look very different and of course Mrs. Alicia has her family and is not my Mom, however, so many of our family memories include Mrs. Alicia and her family. I feel comfortable with her and am able to say I like or dislike something, and she is so thoughtful.

She really is the one person (excluding my brother, Dad and P) that I feel I can be completely honest with. And honestly, I couldn’t be luckier with them, but there is something about a girl sometimes needing another girl. I can tell her if I am sad, I can say what I am really thinking... about anything. After you lose someone, people are really supportive for about 2 weeks and then people get busy. It’s just the way life is. Friends get busy, and life happens. It’s nothing personal, but you can’t help but feel lonely. Mrs. Alicia has literally been that one person who I feel is 100% supportive, has no agenda, and is close to my Mom that can be. She helped redecorate my classroom in July (with Ben) and always asks me questions about little things, like my Mom did. “Have your boxes for the choral library come in yet? Did they ever get under your risers? “I don’t think I have anyone else in my life is so concerned with my little boring things that most people are too busy for. Saturday we went to get a pedicure and lunch and she gave me this little water cozie for my classroom. It’s small, adorable and so something my Mom would have done. It’s not all about getting things. I can clearly buy myself a water cozie. It’s the thoughtfulness of it all. It’s a small “happy” with a purpose and a surprise.

I hope everyone who loses someone has a Mrs. Alicia. No one can ever replace your loved one and deep down, I don’t want anyone to replace Mom. She was one of a kind and I will always place her on the pedestal that she deserves. At times, I want to isolate my feelings and just bulldoze my way. I’ll start feeling lonely and sad and make a plan of how to do it all and just keep going. Then I’m reminded that it’s okay to feel this way and to accept help or just comfort. Sometimes I’m so sad it hurts to breathe, however having Mrs. Alicia in my life makes things bearable and reminds me of what it feels like to be cared for in that maternal way.

I’m so thankful for my Mrs. Alicia and sincerely hope you find yours, too.

For Natalie’s News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

baby updates

I don't intend for this blog to be an all about baby blog, but I had an apt today so here goes.

I gained almost 3 pounds. Didn't gain any last time. I was hoping to keep that up, but my trucker appetite recently has prevented it. Birthing hips are in this season, right?

I told my doc that I quit reading "what to expect..." because it was very stressful. I just decided to be honest but inside I was already thinking omg I'm failing as an in utero mom but she wonderfully responded with, "I so don't blame you, that book is dark". Hallelujah. I don't need to know any more problems.

Something I didn't know about pregnancy is that you often get a stuffy nose and are prone to nosebleeds. For someone who already has cray cray allergies, this is no fun and the nosebleed at 5:15 in the shower this morning was honestly, just confusing. I'm usually mostly asleep until 6:00 so I just stood there looking at the blood in the shower. Finally, I realized I should probably do something about it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is such thing as a nurse/I know what to do in an emergency (okay, this wasn't a real emergency) situation/blood and guts don't bother me gene and it skipped me like I was the fat kid waiting to be picked for gym.

The baby's heartbeat was really easy to find and it sounded "very strong". Woot, woot. Good stock, obvi.

We couldn't get an appointment where P and I didn't have to take off work until almost the end of September. That basically in the next century as far as I'm concerned. I don't know how she expects me to plan and decorate a nursery appropriately having to wait this long. I mean, I guess people have been doing this for generations, but I'm about to be a suburbia living, suv driving, momma. I want it now.

One really fun thing about expecting during school is how incredibly sweet my normally fab students are. They are so protective and helpful. Just a sweet example...we have these huge speakers and they needed to be moved and one of my students just stood up and said, "guys, y'all need to move this, Mrs. Pratt can't lift heavy things" and then... they just did it. What?!?!? Love them.

That's it for now! Excited that Baby Pratt is happy and healthy!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

so long summer....

What.....the....

How did this happen?

I feel like yesterday was May 29th. All the sudden it's the beginning of flipping August and I have to get up early and...

go. to. work.

I repeat...how did this happen?

This summer was not my best for obvious reasons, but went by faster than any ever. I literally never visited a pool, went on zero vacations, accomplished no goals for my house other than getting new bedding, hardly anything on the 30 before 30 list, and only went to yoga a handful of times.

Every summer I have some amazing plan to achieve world peace, get in amazing shape, redecorate our house with ideas from Pinterest, while perfecting every amazing recipe, and learning to knit.

In reality, I usually do more fun things and conveniently forget about all of those lofty goal but don't really care because of all of the stories I have to tell.

This summer lacked all of that "fun stuff" so I feel a little miffed that August has so rudely reared it's ugly head and I'm faced to return to the working world. Truly a travesty.

In other news, I have first world problems.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

*I will whine less at some point.

Sweet Words Wednesday

For Natalie's News this has been a very humbled, Natalie-Corinne.  

re-appointed

woot woot. I wasn't scared but it is nice to get this baby in writing :) Honestly, this has been the hardest work year ever and I really have learned so much about.. well everything. I love my job and am happy to be returning. Sadly, in the past, I've been counting down the days, minutes, seconds until summer and while I'm so ready to be able to hang out with my Mom all summer, I will actually miss the students and am not dreading the beginning of next year!

#Winning!

Happy Weekend everyone!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

sick

As much as I hate to admit it, I must. Hi, my name is Natalie and I'm sick. Ugh, who has time to be sick? With Relay for life bake sale today, Feist concert for Valentine's Day tonight, end of course testing, church rehearsals, Relay for Life this Friday, and Ben's graduation on Saturday, and my job...ugh,  I don't have time to be sick. Today I am home attempting to get better and stressing on how much we need to get done and I'm too tired to do it. As we are getting ready for Ben's graduation, I have been scanning pictures of Ben in my computer and came across this one.

Ugh, who can feel bad when you see this? The goob so little, brown and cute. Not 100% better but this certainly helps!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

wordless Wednesday

Tomorrow is our last choral competition of the year. Last time we won a lot of trophies and you know I want some more of those. One of the best parts of going to these things is not hearing all the wonderful choirs, but seeing so many of the creative wardrobe decisions made by choir directors who are apparently all blind.

touchdown?

Apparently it's always 1983 and we are all frumpy.

Sea foam? Why?

I have no words.

Wish me luck! For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Senior tea

This weekend I hosted my senior girls for an afternoon of tea sandwiches and bite sized goodies. I wanted to start a tradition that was just for girls, fun, and not too much for me to do. Luckily my Mom and our crafty savior Mrs. Alicia came to the rescue and helped me do everything!

Of course Mrs. Alicia did the flowers!

We placed the food all on the tables but had extra sandwiches etc and the petit fours on the small table in the bonus room close to us.

We used Mom's and my china and cake plates in the center for the food.

Ms. Alicia making the tables just perfect. Mom got pictures of her but somehow I only got her hands!

Really pretty girls! Unfortunately all the girls couldn't come but the ones who did had a great time! I kept wondering what they must be thinking. I imagine going to a teacher's house would be so weird because you actually see them as human! They were all very kind and one even offered to buy our house after she got out of college!  

And last but not least here is me and Mom. It's an awkward picture of me but I think it's good of Mom so I'm posting it anyway, which totally goes against my mantra of never posting anything but flattering loveliness. This lady helped me so much and basically came up with everything so Ina best be moving over!

It was a great day and special thanks to the party angels for helping me so much!

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Trophies!

What is so glorious about a trophy? Seriously, they are kind of cheesy. Obviously plastic with some hazy, psychedelic music notes. Whatever the kind of trophy... way, deep down, everyone wants one. Even when every single player got a small trophy for finishing a loosing season beams with the joy of getting a 6 inch gold trophy of an unauthentic looking girl holding a bat.

 We received superior ratings (umm...the best but who is bragging?) in all of our choirs at Regional choir festival this week. I was so nervous. We can be all honest now that we did so well but I have never competed like this before and the previous teacher always did really well.

In the dorky, choral world...this was an accomplishment! I am very proud of my wonderful students and their hard work.

Lastly, I leave you with a sweet student who made me a birthday cake! Since we had the musical all last weekend and Festival on Tuesday there has been very little time to celebrate. She was so sweet and realized how busy we were and waited until Wednesday so we could celebrate stress-free. Unfortunately I had to hide her face for privacy. Such a shame, she is really cute. But...how sweet is this? She made me a cake?!?!?

UGH I love my job!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.